Engine starting apparatus



w. A. BEVISY ETAL 2,773,563

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Dec. 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1954 Dec. 11, 1956 w, A, ls L 2,773,563

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed on. as; 1954 Mueniom N. 2 BeZ) w .L. GLZk'a EJ115153;

United States Patent O ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS William Albert Bevis, Pinner, Leslie Gordon Chapman, Ealing, London, and Wilfrid Edward Walter Nicolls, gimieigdEngland, assignors to C. A. V. Limited, London,

ng an Application October 25, 1954, Serial No. 464,548

Claims priority, application Great Britain October 27, 1953 3 Claims. (Cl. 18539) This invention has for its object to provide in a simple and convenient form an apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine, the apparatus being of the kind in which the starting energy is stored in a torsionally strained elastic member made from rubber or rubber-like material.

An engine starting apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a cylindrical rubber member, a manually operable straining means connected to one end of the said member, an axially and rotationally movable pinion for engagement with the engine, means connected to the other end of the rubber member for actuating the said pinion, and a controlling catch engageable with the said means, the arrangement being such that when the catch is in its initial inoperative position an engine,- engaging movement can be imparted to the said pinion through the rubber member, and when in its operative position the rubber member can be strained, energy stored in the said member being released for imparting movement to the engine by return of the catch to its inoperative position. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shown lin Figure 2, and is held in this position by the tongue-shaped end s of a slidable bolt t loaded by a spring u the bolt being operable by a hand lever v. The catch is loaded by a strong spring w (Figure 2) which serves to move the catch into operative engagement with the ratchet wheel p, when the bolt is retracted.

The mode of action is as follows:

Starting with the mechanism in the condition shown in the drawings, a single movement is given to the hand lever h, the ratio of the wheels k, m being such as will sufiice to cause the pinion o to travel along the output shaft n into engagement with the wheel on :the engine.

is a sectional side elevation and Figure 2 an end elevation illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation, and Figure 4 a sectional end elevation on the line 44, of Figure 3, illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the action of a coupling forming part of the mechanism shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, there is provided a hollow cylindrical sleeve made from rubber (which term is herein used as including a rubber-like material). The sleeve is preferably constructed from a number of short and similar annular sections a which at their adjacent end faces are interconnected by bonding them to intermediate annular sheet metal discs b, the contiguous discs being secured together by rivets or otherwise. To prevent bending of the sleeve when strained the discs b are supported on the coaxial input shaft 0. At one end .the rubber sleeve is secured to a coupling a, and to this latter is secured one end of the input shaft 0. The other end of this shaft has secured to it a pinion j which engages a pinion g, the latter being operable by a hand lever h (or wheel) through a ratchet-like coupling i which is loaded by a spring 1'. To the other end of the rubber sleeve is secured an internally toothed annulus k with which engages a pinion m on an output shaft n, the axis of the latter being parallel with the axis of the input shaft. The end of the output shaft remote from the pinion m has formed on it a screw thread, and on the latter is mounted an internally screw threaded pinion 0 which is engageable with a toothed wheel (not shown) on the engine, the said pinion 0 being rotatable by and movable along the shaft n.

Also on the shaft n is secured a ratchet wheel p, and in association with this wheel is mounted on a fixed pivot q a pawl r which will be herea-fiter referred to as the catch. Normally the catch occupies an inoperative position as To .prevent rotation of the pinion during at least a part of its axial movement it may be held by any convenient frictional or other pawl as indicated by x. After the pinion 0 has been engaged with the wheel on the engine, the bolt 1 is retracted by the lever v, to allow the catch r to engage the ratchet wheel p under the action of the spring w. Continued oscillatory actuation of the lever jh now causes the rubber sleeve to be torsionally strained until the eifort exerted by it on the input shaft is sufficient to move this shaft against the resistance of the spring w. The eifect of this is to cause the catch :to be returned to its initial position, where it is automatically re-engaged and held by the bolt, the latter being reengaged with the catch by the spring u. The output shaft is then free, and the energystored in the rubber sleeve is liberated for imparting the required starting movement to the engine. When the engine is set in motion under its own power, the pinion 0 is ejected and thereby returned to its initial position. v

In the example illustrated by Figures 3-5, the rubber sleeve is constructed from a plurality of annular sections a as above described. The metal discs b may be secured together as shown in Figure 1, or they may be clutched together by claws [formed on the outer peripheral edges of the discs as shown in Figure 3. Further each section a may be reinforced by an internal 'bush as shown. The sleeve is secured at one end to a worm wheel 2 by pins 3, and at the other end to a coupling d, whichlatter is secured to an output shaft 4. The worm wheel 2 is engaged by a worth 5 which is rotatable by a hand lever 6. On the shaft 4 is secured a toothed wheel 7 which engages a pinion 8 on a countershafit 9 which also carries a toothed wheel 10, the latter engaging a pinion 11 on a sleeve 12 which is rotatably supported on the shaft 4. The sleeve 12 has formed on it a screw thread with which is engaged an internally screw threaded sleeve 13. The latter has formed on it the pinion o for engagement with the toothed wheel on the engine.- Also it has formed on it a circular-flange 14. The sleeve 13 is movable outwardly along the sleeve 12 to an extent determined by a collar 15 on the sleeve 12.

Adjacent to the pinion 11, there is pivoted on the housing of the mechanism a catch 16 (Figure 4) for engaging the said pin-ion, the catch being loaded by a spring 17 which tends to withdraw the catch from the pinion. Engagement of the catch with the pinion is eifected by a relatively strong spring 18 acting on *a hand lever 19. When the mechanism is in its normal or rest condition the catch is held out of engagement with the pinion by the abutment of a peg 20 on the catch against the periphery of the flange 14 of the sleeve 13.

Between the worm wheel 2 and the toothed wheel 7, is arranged a coupling which permits the worm wheel to move through any convenient angle of lost motion relatively to the wheel 7. In the form illustrated the coupling consists of a disc 21 freely mounted on the shaft 4. On one side of the disc is formed a projection 22, and on the other side a similarly situated projection 23. The projection 22 co-operates with a complementary projec tion 24 (see Figure 5) on the worm wheel and the pro- 3 jection 23 co-operates with a complementary projection 25 on a disc 26 secured on the shaft 4. The mode of action of the coupling will be readily understood by reference to Figure 5. Starting with the various projections in the relative positions shown in Figure 5, it being assumed that the projection 25 is fixed (as a consequence of the catch 16 being in engagement with the pinion 11),

an angular movement of the worm wheel in the direction of the 'arrow will carry the projection 24, on the worm wheel into contact with one end of the projection 22 on the disc 21. Continued movement of the worm will then cause the disc to, be carried round until the projection 23 disc (on the opposite side of the disc to the projection 22) encounters one end of the projection 25 on the disc 26. The total angular movement thus imparted to the worm wheel 2 relatively to the toothed wheel 7 is rather more than one and a half revolutions.

The mode of action of the mechanism shown in Figures 3 and 4 is as follows:

In the initial, or rest, position of the mechanism, the catch 16 is inactive. Consequently actuation of the hand lever 6 will impart movement to the sleeve 12 (through the rubber sleeve a, shaft 4 and gearing 7, 8, 9, causing the sleeve 13 to move for engaging the pinion 10 with the engine. When the sleeve 13 approaches the end of its axial movement, the flange 14 on the sleeve, leaves the peg 20 on the catch 16, and so allows the catch to be engaged with the pinion 11 under the action of the spring 18, thus preventing further rotation of the shaft 4. Continued actuation of the hand lever 6 now causes the rubber sleeve to be energised by rotation of the worm wheel 2 to an extent determined by the coupling disc 21 (as above explained). The operator then 'actuates the lever 19 in opposition to the spring 18, so enabling the spring 17 to retract the catch 16, and thereby releasing the pinion 11. The stored energy in the rubber sleeve then causes the pinion o to impart the required starting movement to the engine. When the enginesmoves under its own power, the pinion 0 is ejected and returned to its initial position, and on release of the lever 19, the peg 20. is re-engaged with the flange 14.

Having :thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An engine starting apparatus comprising in combination a cylindrical elastic member, manually operable means connected to one end of said elastic member for tor onally straining the latter ltO cause energy to be stored therein, transmission means connected to the other end of said elastic member for imparting the energy stored therein to the engine, and a catch engageable with said transmission means for controlling the action thereof, said transmission means including an internally screw threaded axially and rotationally movable pinion for engagement with the engine, and a complementary screw threaded member on which said pinion is mounted, and, which is rotatable by said manually operable means through the medium of said elastic member, when said catch is in an initial inoperative position, to cause axial movement of said pinion into its engine-engaging position, said catch being subsequently movable into an operative position for holding said complementary screw threaded member stationary whilst energy is being stored in said elastic member, and being returnable to its initial inoperative position for enabling the stored energy to be imparted to the engine.

2. An engine starting apparatus according to claim 1, and having in combination a first shaft, forming a part of said manually operable means, arranged coaxially with and secured at one end to said elastic member, a second shaft arranged parallel with said first shaft and forming the screw threaded pinion-carrying member, gearing conmeeting. said second shaft to the other end of said elastic member, a ratchet wheel mounted on said second shaft and engageable by said catch, and a manually operable bolt for controlling engagement of said catch with said ratchet wheel.

3. An engine starting apparatus according to claim 1, and having in combination a worm and worm wheel device forming a par-t of said manually operable means and connected to one end of said elastic member, a shaft arranged coaxially with said elastic member and connected to the other end thereof, a lost motion coupling connecting said shaft to said worm and worm wheel device, a sleeve mounted on said shaft and forming the screw threaded pinion-carrying member, gearing connecting said sleeve to said shaft, and a manually operable lever serving with said pinion to control engagement of said catch with said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,555,451 Du Rostu June 5, 1951 

